Chemistry that goes BANG

[ysabetwordsmith]

I don't remember when I started learning science in this life; it was just there all along.  My mother has taught science and one of our family friends was the science teacher at a local school.  They'd sit around a campfire and if the flames turned color, would name what element(s) burned in that color.  Fireworks too; we'd watch them and try to guess the components.  And model rockets, including the one that got stuck in a tree and retrieved with gunfire.

So today my_partner_doug tipped me to this photo-essay showing some different types of fireworks.

One of the links in it led to this terrific page of glossary terms for fireworks and related materials.

Then I got to thinking about all the fun I've had guessing colors, so I looked up references for that.
"Chemistry of Firework Colors"
"Colors of Elements in a Flame"
"Flame Coloration by Element"
"Flame Test"

And just for old times' sake, read about how to make blackpowder.

I love science.  It's just endlessly fascinating.  If a phosphorescent horror slouched past me, sure I'd be running and scanning the area for possible weapons.  But another part of my mind would be trying to figure out which combination of chemicals would produce that particular shade of light.  You never know, it might be useful in killing the thing.  Cool.

No scientists, hobby or professional, were harmed in the making of this post.  Please keep it that way.

Comments

[drjeff.livejournal.com]

There's a great current episode of the show "Naked Science" showing how fireworks are made. There is one family that makes a lot of the fireworks for major shows all over the country. Super cool show. But, alas, no one was making fireworks while naked.

Yes...

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a great show, if I had TV reception.

[cissa.livejournal.com]

Coolness!

We have these sticks of fatwood with a chemical coating that make pretty colors when tossed in the fire. (OK, probably really toxic, but PRETTY!) I've long longed to make some myself... (Chem major here, albeit 30 years ago!)

Yes...

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

I've seen those, and the sprinkles.

The year we planned to do Dia de los Muertos for Samhain, we spent months saving Mt. Dew cartons and tearing them into small chips. Two bags of chips went into the eye-holes of a skull-shaped bonfire. The copper and other inclusions in the cardboard gave off blue and green flames.

Re: Yes...

[cissa.livejournal.com]

Nifty! I had not thought of using printed cardboard, but it's a truly brilliant idea!

These color-sticks we've bought have blue and green and also purple and pink, so there's some weird stuff there. But- now I can start to figure it all out. (I know copper is blue, but don't tend to remember the rest.)

So- thank you!

Re: Yes...

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

Yes, colored ink is generally good for making colored flames. Magazines or newspaper pages will work as well as cardboard. It depends on what is in the ink. Best results come from large sections that are the same color.

I'm glad I could help you learn the colors of elemental flames! It's a favorite game of mine so I enjoy sharing it.